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An Open Letter to 2023

No wishes, no resolutions, only intentions.

3 min readJan 10, 2023

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Happy new year! A photo by my colleague, Jean Kay, during our school’s 10th-year anniversary dinner.

Which story will you make this year? That was how I ended my open letter to 2022.

This was the story I made.

2022 was that of radical change. At its beginning, the relationship that held me fell apart. In the middle, I launched like a rocket from Manila to Hanoi. At its end, I began to settle.

It was an exhilarating and terrifying passage.

In every new territory, apartment, and hotel room, I was expecting for something to go wrong. And they did.

There were trips to the hospital. My first time teaching middle schoolers was chaotic. Having zero friends and family around led to more isolation.

Things went right as well.

I moved to a nicer place, and met a few good friends to eat with and talk to, both Filipino and Vietnamese. I found libraries and cafes that served as my thinking space. Relationships with my students improved. There was more time for writing.

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It’s a sweet year-end gift from my 6th-grade student, Huy. Photo by the author.

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Odyssa
Odyssa

Written by Odyssa

Life abroad. Relationships. Writing. Travel. www.odyssawrites.com

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